Drying machine



July 24, 1928.

' ,6 8 3 3 J. A. FIRSCHING DRYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29', 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 v H II V I Patented July 24-, 1928.

UNETED STATES 1,578,383 PATENT QFFICE;

JOSEPH A. FIBSCHING, OF UTIGA, NEW YORK.

DRYING Maonmn.

Application filed September 29, 1925. Serial No. 59.434.

This invention relates to a new and improved drying machine, and morespecifically to a machine for drying a tubular fabric. I The object ofthis invention is the production ot a machine for drying a tubularfabric in an eiiicient and economical way and in such a uniform manneras to avoid the production of streaks in the fabric which render itunmerchantable.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details of the structure andthe form and relation of the parts thereof, all as will more fullyappear from the following description, taken in connection-with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portionof the apparatus.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the structure.

Figure a is an elevation partially in section of a special type ofspreader mechanism. V

The apparatus as here illustrated comprises a base 1 supported in anysuitable manner, as by legs 2 andhaving a flanged opening 3 at itscentral portion for the reception of a hot air pipe l'connected as shownto a blower 5 or' other source of air under pressure. Means should beprovided for heating the'air supplied to the pipe 4: and for thatpurpose there is shown in Figure 1 in dotted lines a series of steamcoils (S altho any other suitable means or arrangeiuent for heating theair may be provided. The pipe 4 preferably includes adamper 7 which maybe actuated as desiredto control the flow of the heated airtherethrough.

The base 1' carries an annular disk 8 having an opening at its centersurrounded by thetlann'c 9 around which a vertically disposed tube 10 ofsheet metal or similar material is telescoped concentric with the tubei0 and outside the latter .is arranged a cylinder i'l so as to formbetween the tube 10 and. the cylinder an air chamber or space 12 closedat its lower end by the disk 8 and at its upper end by the dependingside of the annular angle bar 13 the other side of the angle bar 13extending radially outwardly beyond the cylinder 11 and across the upperend of the spacing member l twhich closes the upper end of an annularwater jacket 15 formed between the cylinder 11 and a second cylinder 21of somewhat larger di ameter and surround ng the cylinder 11 The lowerend of this water jacket is closed by an annular spacing bar 16. The 69to any suitable source of water under pres- 55 sure, as a pump, andpreferably pipe 17 sup plies the cooling fluid to the lower end of thewater jacket 15 and pipe 18 connected to the upper end of the waterjacket 15 and extending downwardly when tube 10 re- Z0 turns the coolingfluid to the pump (not shown). The tube 10 as illustrated, extends somedistance above the annular angle bar 13 and is equipped with areenforcing cylinder 19 secured to the tube 10 in. any suitable manner,as by bolts or rivets 20. This cylinder,-as shown, is of somewhat lessdiameter than the cylinder 21 so that the fabric as it moves oil thecylinder 21 and onto the spreader mechanism 22 does not come in contactwith the cylinder 19.

The spreader mechanism 22 comprises a vertically disposed shaft 23having its lower end seated in a hearing or recess 2% formed in bar 25extending diametrically across the upper end of the cylinder 19, and asshown, formed integrally therewith. tdet screw 26 or other means may beprovided for securing theshaft in the bearing. The spider mechanismcomprises in addition to the shaft 23 a series of rollers 27 and 28respectively. These rollers may be mounted in any suitable manner and asshown, the shaft 23 is provided with a collar 29 for each pair ofrollers, and this collar carries two parallel bars 30 disposed uponopposite sides o1 the Shaft and at their ends these bars carry shafts 31upon which the rollers 27 and, 28 respectively are mounted; The lengthof the bars 30 may vary throughout the spreader mechanism, or may beuniform desired. As shown. the lower series of bars are of substantiallyuniform length and the respective rollers 27 and 28 are alternatelyarranged-this 'iarticular illustration show ing four sets 27 arranged inone direction and four sets 28 arranged at right angles to sets 27. l

In addition, at the upper end of the shaft 23 there'are two sets ofrollers 28 arranged adjacent each other and adapted to act tosomewhatflat-ten out the fabric which has rolls and around the take-uproll 35.

been maintained in substantially tubular form by the alternate sets ofrollers 27 and 28 so that when the fabric is supplied to the spreaderbar 31 it will be in a position to substantially conform to the spreaderbar, and will readily pass between the guide bars 32, between thepressure rollers 33 and 3 for winding in substantially cylindrical formupon the take-up roller 35 which may be driven in any suitable manner,and at any suitable speed not necessary to herein further illustrate ordescribe.

The base 1 also supports a. cylindrical receptacle or tub surroundingthe water jacket 1.5 and of considerably greater diameter than thecylinder 21 and the bottom of this tub may be formed of wood or anysuitable material, while the cylindrical wall may be formed of sheetmetal or any other suitable material and the fabric in tubular form andin damp condition where drying is required is first fitted over thecylinder 19, and allowed to pass down around the water jacket 15 andaccumulates in the receptacle 36.

The spreader mechanism 22 is then placed in position, the upper end ofthe tubular fabric is drawn up around the neck of the spreader mechanismbetween the pressure The hot air may then be turned on by opening damper7, pump supplying water to pipe 17, and in like manner the means fordriving the roll 35 is placed in operation, and as the fabric is drawnup around the spreader mechanism 22 the heated air escaping from theupper end of tube 10 comes up within the tubular fabric and escapesoutwardly through the pores thereof, and thereby dries the fabric.Meanwhile, the fabric surrounding the cylinder 21 is maintained in coolcondition and is not dried while in contact with the cylinder 21, whichwould result in the formation of streaks, but is only dried after it ismoved out of contact with the cylinder 21, and is in a position topermit the free escape of the hot air through the pores of the fabric asthe latter is spread out and maintained in tubular form by the rolls 27and 28 over which the fabric moves.

It is found that by this machine, the drying of tubular fabrics can beeffected in such a uniform and efficient manner as to eliminate streaksand produce merchantable fabric in an economical and rapid manner.

Altho I have shown and described special constructions as illustrativeof perhaps preferred embodiments of the invention 1 do not desire torestrict myself to the details of form, construction or arrangement, orto all of the perhaps preferred features of the invention, as variouschanges, modifications and omissions may be made within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A drying machine for tubular fabric comprising a tube along theexterior of which the fabric is adapted to be drawn, an air chambersurrounding the tube, a water jacket surrounding the air chamber, meansfor supplying a drying fluid to one end of the tube, and a spreadermechanism at the opposite end of the tube over which the fabric isadapted to be drawn and which permits the drying fluid to contact withand escape through the fabric.

2. A drying machine for tubular fabric comprising a tube along theexterior of which the fabric is adapted to be drawn, an air chambersurrounding the tube, a water jacket surrounding the air chamber, meansfor supplying a drying fluid to one end of the tube, and a spreadermechanism comprising a plurality of rollers at the opposite end of thetube over which the fabric is adapted to be drawn and which permits thedrying fluid to contact with and escape through the fabric.

8. A drying machine for tubular fabric romprising a tube. means forsupplying a drying fluid to the tube, a bearing disposed substantiallycentrally at the upper end of the tube, a shaft having its lower endmounted in said bearing, a spreader-bar carried by the upper end of theshaft, a plurality of cross-bars mounted on the shaft in alignment withthe spreader-bar, wheels carried by each crossbar atopposite sides ofthe shaft and rotating on axes at substantially right angles tothespreader-bar, additional cross-bars mounted on the shaft below thefirst-named cross-bars and disposed at substantially right anglesto thefirst-named cross-bars and wheels mounted on the opposite ends of eachcross-bar and rotating on axes substantially parallel with the spreaderbar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 19 day of September,1925.

JOSEPH A, FIRSCI-IING.

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